Therapeutic Effectiveness of Exercise Associated to the Pharmacotherapy in Major Depression

University of Sao Paulo General Hospital

Status: Completed

Conditions: Major Depressive Disorder

Treatments: Other: Physical Exercise

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02427789

HCLim27/FAPESP2012/20002-5

Details and patient eligibility

About

Depression is a disorder that causes major harm to physical health and social life. It induces isolation, reduced physical and work capacity and increasing the risk of death. In contrast, exercise helps to maintain quality of life, also inducing improvement of cognitive functions, stimulation of brain plasticity and resilience, in addition to promoting self-esteem and social interaction. The precise mechanisms by which exercise improves symptoms of depression are not fully clear, but it is probably multifactorial. In this project, the investigators aim to investigate variables that provide additional information about biomarkers involved in the pathophysiology of depression and therapeutic response to exercise. The investigators expect to find changes in biomarkers associated with potential mechanisms of neuroprotection (cytokines, markers of oxidative stress, Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), cortisol) after exercise program and the role in the therapeutics of depression. To evaluate functional assessment indices will be used ergospirometry, a test that determines the respiratory, cardiovascular and metabolic activity. Overall, this project will help to investigate alternative adjunctive treatments for depression and their associated biomarkers with response.

Enrollment: 40 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 55 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Major Depression Disorder According Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) criteria
• Score higher or equal 18 in Hamilton Depression Rating Scale
• Age between 18 and 55 years old

Exclusion criteria

• Unstable Clinical Diseases
• Patients Unable to make Physical Exercises
• Present frequencies below 90% attendance in the program aerobic fitness

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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40 participants in 2 patient groups

Control

No Intervention group

Description:

In this group patients will not have physical exercises

Physical Exercise

Active Comparator group

Description:

In this group patients will make physical exercise

Treatment:

Other: Physical Exercise